Furry Realms (online multiplayer RPG)

[Matthew]

Posting this more as an accountability/development thread than an announcement of anything.

Furry Realms is an online multiplayer RPG featuring anthropomorphic animals. I suppose the closest comparison would be RuneScape but without the fancy 3D graphics but also a bit of Stardew Valley in terms of pacing. It is a 2D graphical game (like Stardew Valley) with a focus on community, engaging stories that have closure, and having fun at your own pace.

The premise of the game is based primarily in the mythological realm of Albion (where King Arthur, Camelot, the Round Table, etc. exist.) However, other realms are connected to Albion — all the realms of fiction and myth, in fact. Albion is merely the crown jewel; the place where the Storymancer weaves their magic and helps the heroes win.

The plot involves a war between those who seek to twist the realms of myth and fiction to their own dark desires (feeling that the heroes always "get everything"), and those who seek to save the realms from that terrible fate. King Arthur leads the good folks for now, while an unknown enemy stirs up the disaffected. The realms are not yet fractured and in chaos, but rumours are surfacing that the Titans are climbing back up Mount Olympus in the realm of the Greek Gods, while in Victorian London, a menace stalks the streets murdering young women. A war brewing on many fronts, your character has many choices to make — but there are no "right" or "wrong" choices, only ones with consequences. Even choosing a side may prove surprising — just because they have the title of "hero" doesn't mean they deserve it...

I had been working on this game for over 2 years, but foolishly I lost everything in a crash over the weekend and my backups are corrupted. ? So, I'm starting from nothing and working my way back up.

This started off as a personal "game I'd like to play" but then some folks expressed an interest in wanting to play it too, or at least having access to a community that was a bit different from most games.

Furry Realms is community led in most areas — it's nothing without a community, so there are deliberate design choices to include the community in the direction of the game, the species available, moderation, arbitrating disputes, and so on. While a perfect community is impossible, I want people to be invested and feel responsible for helping to create a community they want to play with every day. Additionally, I'm only one person and can't possibly have all the ideas and time needed to make this game a success after it's been developed.

I'm not sure what else to add here — I need to get artwork commissioned and get the website back up. Most folks seem to post a list of features, but I don't know if me doing that would be particularly popular. If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

Discord at https://discord.gg/65RzGSz

[Mobotropolis]

I commend you for your honesty about the state of your project and applaud you for your courage posting. Good luck!

One good thing about getting everything out in the open is that there are people here who can and will be willing to help you.

So, what do you think your next steps are? 

Getting that artwork? Of what and in what format? 

Or maybe some people to bounce ideas and features off of? 

 

 

[Matthew]

My next steps will be acquiring people to bounce ideas and features off — obviously, I have a vision for my game, but there's no point me accruing a lot of art assets if people don't find the basic premise of the game interesting, and the gameplay fun...

[Mobotropolis]

I re-read your opening post and thing the idea might be interesting. 

What types of activities would the player be able to get involved in?

Community could be interesting. Will there be something like groups, factions or alliances? 

A game that has community might need social features. Do you have any in mind? 

[Matthew]

2 hours ago, Mobotropolis said:

I re-read your opening post and thing the idea might be interesting. 

What types of activities would the player be able to get involved in?

Community could be interesting. Will there be something like groups, factions or alliances? 

A game that has community might need social features. Do you have any in mind? 

Activities

Hmm. When you say activities, what do you mean?

Community

There will be player groups, alliances/guilds, and factions that your characters can work with. Given the divided nature of the realms, your character will likely end up siding with some factions over others although you're not bound to them — if you decide your character is tired of working with the "good" faction, there's nothing stopping them from switching to help the "bad" faction, or even remaining neutral. I mean, some people just want to farm in peace and not go to war.

Social features

In-game chat, forums, the Discord server (for now), but also guilds are a social feature I suppose.

[Mobotropolis]

When I say activities I mean Games, Dailies, Competitions, Quests, Puzzles, Events and whatnot. 

Things that the players are going to be invested it and what brings them back to the site every day. 

People who may be looking for a game might be curious about what there is to do at your game, and why it might be different from the 50-some plus active and/or in development games around. 

[Matthew]

Oh okay. Well, for a start it's a browser-based RPG, it's not just a point and click standard site. So hopefully that will gain some interest.

I am implementing a quest system along with events. I'm undecided on dailies — whenever I play an MMO with dailies I always feel pressured and/or feel the rewards aren't worth it, so I don't bother but if people desperately want a reason to play the game every day, I suppose they could be implemented.

There won't be any games (e.g. mini games, etc.) as such, but I can see a place for competitions like "Submit an amazing piece of artwork or a piece of writing to become a part of the world / lore, etc."

I'm writing the first "season" of the plot right now, although one of the issues with developer-provided content is that it can be consumed far more quickly than any person or team can create it. 

[Ibbit]

I'm a big fan of Stardew Valley (both graphically and programming, lovely game) and also played Runescape a long time ago.

I wonder, have you ever played Furcadia? It is fairly old, but had a longterm dedicated community at one point.. when you mentioned Runescape I got instant nostalgia feels for Furcadia, the gem of my childhood/teenage years haha. ✌?

Also I would definitely be interested in drawing some concept art, if you are looking to hire artists presumably? I could send a portfolio your way if so?

[Matthew]

@Ibbit I haven't played it for any great length of time, but my sister used to and I am aware of it generally — it looks cool, but when I played it (many, many years ago) I felt like I had nothing to do on there. Or at least, I was uncertain about what I could do in the game. ?

I love Stardew Valley myself — graphically and in terms of the game systems — which is where I originally got the idea of having an online RPG in the same sort of art style (partly because that's also cheaper and more realistic to launch than having a 3D virtual world.)

I am indeed looking to hire artists as I cannot make any art myself. Well, I could but it wouldn't be high quality and I feel art is something that takes many years to master. Specifically, I need folks who can do pixel artwork although that doesn't seem to be too common on here... anyway, I'd be grateful to see your portfolio. ?

[JimJim]

I hope I'm not too late to the party, but this sounds incredible! I love the interweaving time periods idea, and I like how it is focused in on RPG elements. I've never heard of a game like this, so I know you'll definitely have an audience when its ready. I hope you are still working on this, because I would love to play! Do you have a dev blog up anywhere besides discord?